Enhanced photocatalytic performance and stability of 1T MoS2 transformed from 2H MoS2 via Li intercalation

Molybdenum disulfide is a competitive photocatalyst in organic pollutant degradation. 1T MoS2 was prepared by Li intercalation from hydrothermal synthesized 2H phase MoS2. The 1T MoS2 presents a lager intralayer distance of 12.0 angstrom compared to that of 6.5 angstrom in 2H MoS2. A stability of the prepared 1T phase was studied and a complete transformation of 1T to 2H was reached at 120 degrees C. The addition of nano-Au particle reduce the interlayered interaction in the MoS2 lattice. Both 1T@2H-MoS2 and 1T@2H-MoS2/Au present high decomposition rate of MB under visible light 1T@2H-MoS2/Au presents a 90.4% decomposition of the modeling compound MB in 20 min compared to 25.2% MB conversion catalyzed by 2H-MoS2 under the same conditions.